By KENNEDY GRIFFIN
(Greenfield, MA) The Greenfield Department of Public Works has been awarded a Sustainable Recovery Program grant in the amount of $22,600 for recycling efforts.
According to the City of Greenfield, the “grant amount is based on the DPW’s proactive recycling efforts including handling of bulky items, hard-to-recycle materials, household hazardous waste, and yard waste, as well as its solid waste reduction efforts.”
“This grant is a testament to Greenfield’s forward-thinking approach to reducing waste and increasing recycling for the benefit of the community and our environment,” said DPW Recycling Coordinator Janine Greaves. “Greenfield has been ahead of the curve when it comes to removing items like mattresses and textiles from the waste stream and it’s gratifying to be recognized for that.”
$5,000 from the grant funds will be used for a new universal waste shed at the Greenfield Transfer Station to collect fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, and mercury-containing products. The remainder of the funds will go towards recycling promotion and supplies such as composer’s, recycling bins, and rain barrels.
The grant program is funded by proceeds from the sale of Waste Energy Certificates to recycling programs approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. A total of $4.2 million has been awarded to 270 municipalities and regional groups in this round of funding.